cleaner
Americannoun
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a person who cleans, especially one whose regular occupation is cleaning offices, buildings, equipment, etc.
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an apparatus or machine for cleaning, as a vacuum cleaner.
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a preparation for use in cleaning, as a detergent or chemical bleach.
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the owner or operator of a dry-cleaning establishment.
The cleaner said he couldn't get the spot off my coat.
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Usually cleaners. a dry-cleaning establishment.
My suit is at the cleaners.
idioms
noun
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a person, device, chemical agent, etc, that removes dirt, as from clothes or carpets
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(usually plural) a shop, etc that provides a dry-cleaning service
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informal to rob or defraud a person of all of his money
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of cleaner
First recorded in 1425–75, cleaner is from the late Middle English word clener. See clean, -er 1
Explanation
A cleaner is either a person whose job involves tidying and disinfecting, or it's a substance used to do that work, like soap. If the cleaner runs out of window cleaner, they might try using vinegar. Professional cleaners might work in people's homes, in which case you might call them housekeepers, or they might work in office buildings, on work sites, or really anywhere that needs to be cleaned. Some cleaners (like dry cleaners) clean clothing and other textiles. Being a cleaner is hard work — and if you've ever watched workers suspended on scaffolding using big squeegees to clean skyscraper windows, you know that it can be thrilling work, too.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"If this water was cleaner and there wasn't the algae issues, we would definitely bring the paddleboard here," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Inside the peloton, however, the general view is that cycling is cleaner now than it has been in decades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
GLP-1 users and everyone else are gravitating toward protein, fresh ingredients and cleaner labels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
"I don't have the means" to repair it, the 45-year-old cleaner said, voicing sadness about the loss of human life Venezuela has suffered.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
“A whole lot cleaner than shaking dirt off fruit.”
From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya
Among the examples cited by the task force was the case of French programmer Sammy Azdoufal, who reportedly accessed data from thousands of robotic vacuum cleaners made by Chinese manufacturer DJI.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Some of the work is physically risky and will require crews being lowered in uspended scaffolds known as swing stages used by window cleaners.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
She relies on a household team of nannies, cleaners, a chef and a chief of staff, which helps afford time for “high-impact, core memories” like vacations with her children.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
Picture this: a team of camera-clad cleaners and a private chef to boot, all wired with high-tech recording apparatus show up at your home.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
Myers stated that he drove Mr. McMillian to Jackson Cleaners, subsequently went into the cleaners, and saw McMillian with a gun, placing money in a brown bag.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
